President Joe Biden said the United States stands ready to provide any assistance needed in the wake of the South Korean Airlines crash. As a close ally of the United States and South Korea, the American people are deeply saddened by the loss of life and the United States stands ready to provide any assistance necessary, Biden said in a statement from the White House.
The U.S. Transportation Safety Board said it was leading a U.S. investigation into the crash, including Boeing and the U.S. Air Force, to assist South Korea in its investigation.
The Jeju Airlines plane skidded off the runway and hit a retaining wall, killing at least 179 people, officials said.
Initial reports indicate that the plane, which was carrying 181 people from Bangkok, suffered a major landing gear failure during takeoff and landing at Muan Airport. The incident was one of the worst in South Korean aviation history.
Two crew members were rescued from the wreckage, but 179 people were killed, with 65 bodies confirmed by the South Korean fire department. The plane skidded on its belly as it landed, hitting a retaining wall at the end of the runway, and burst into flames, according to video footage.
